SOUNDS OF FILM with Tom Needham

Tom Needham
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Semiweekly

The SOUNDS Podcast with Tom Needham features in-depth conversations with leading filmmakers, composers, authors, politicians, artists, scientists, actors and philosophers. The SOUNDS Podcast also brings listeners classic interviews from the deep archives of America's longest running film, music and ideas themed radio show, THE SOUNDS OF FILM. For more information, visit: https://soundsoffilm.com

  1. 1h ago

    Freddie Jackson & Tom Needham on a Classic SOUNDS OF FILM

    Deeply saddened by the passing of legendary R&B singer Freddie Jackson. Freddie’s extraordinary voice gave us some of the most memorable songs of the 1980s, including “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)” and “You Are My Lady.” His music became part of the soundtrack of so many lives. I had the privilege of speaking with Freddie Jackson on Sounds of Film, and in his memory, I’m sharing that interview again. It was a wonderful conversation with a remarkable artist whose music and voice will live on. Rest in peace, Freddie. 🕊️ -Tom Needham

  2. 14h ago

    Paquito D’Rivera: From Carne y Frijol to Carnegie Hall

    On the next episode of Sounds of Film, Tom Needham speaks with legendary musician Paquito D’Rivera about the new documentary, Paquito D’Rivera: From Carne y Frijol to Carnegie Hall. The film, directed by Juan Mandelbaum, recently received the Roots and Rhythm Award at the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Music Documentary Film Festival. Paquito D’Rivera: From Carne y Frijol to Carnegie Hall tells the remarkable story of the Cuban-born musical prodigy who became an internationally celebrated clarinetist, saxophonist and composer. From his early years in Havana and his time with Irakere to his departure from Cuba and extraordinary career in the United States, the film explores D’Rivera’s musical curiosity, collaborations, humor and enduring ability to cross the boundaries between Latin music, jazz and classical music. Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film, music and ideas themed radio show. For more than 30 years, the program has presented interviews and music to listeners throughout Long Island, parts of Connecticut and around the world through streaming. Past guests have included Billy Joel, William H. Macy, Jimmy Webb, Thora Birch, Ernest Dickerson, Hal Hartley, Carter Burwell, Wendy & Lisa, Nile Rodgers, Chuck D, Peter Fonda, Whit Stillman, Ralph Macchio, Laurie Anderson, Morris Day, Michael Moore and Alexandra Pelosi

  3. 1d ago

    CAPSIZED Director Lindsey Ryan Talks Hamptons International Film Festival

    On the next episode of Sounds of Film, Tom Needham speaks with writer and director Lindsey Ryan about her new feature film Capsized, which will screen at the Hamptons International Film Festival. Ryan discusses the making of the film and its complex portrait of family, love, loyalty and the damage that can exist alongside them. Capsized follows the O’Brien family after foreclosure strips them of their home. Their volatile patriarch, Ray, responds by taking his wife and five children out to sea on a barely seaworthy boat, hoping a high-stakes fishing tournament can win back everything they’ve lost. Starring Rhys Ifans, Lily Rabe and Sarah Catherine Hook, the film explores what happens when a family’s carefully maintained balance begins to fall apart. The 34th Hamptons International Film Festival runs October 2–12, 2026, presenting a diverse program of independent and international films, including narrative features, documentaries, and shorts, along with filmmaker conversations and special events. Sounds of Film is Tom Needham’s long-running film, music and ideas program, featuring conversations with filmmakers, composers, authors, musicians, artists and other influential voices. The program has aired for more than 30 years throughout Long Island, parts of Connecticut and worldwide via streaming, with past guests including Billy Joel, Michael Moore, William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Chuck D, Laurie Anderson, Carter Burwell, Nile Rodgers, Wendy & Lisa, Ralph Macchio, DMC, Gary U.S. Bonds, Alexandra Pelosi and Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney.

  4. 4d ago

    THE GRID UNPLUGGED’s Rick Cutter Talks Hamptons International Film Festival

    On the next episode of Sounds of Film, Tom Needham speaks with filmmaker Rick Cutter, director of The Grid Unplugged, his first feature documentary. The film is screening at the Hamptons International Film Festival on Saturday, October 3 at 11:45 AM at East Hampton Regal UA and Sunday, October 4 at 5:00 PM at Sag Harbor Cinema. Cutter discusses the inspiration behind the film and his journey from more than three decades working in technology, utilities, and energy infrastructure to documentary filmmaking. Executive produced by Ed Begley Jr., The Grid Unplugged examines the growing strain on aging electric grids around the world. Using California’s devastating wildfires as an entry point, Cutter explores the challenges created by rising energy demand, artificial intelligence, data centers, electrification, climate impacts, and the transition toward cleaner energy. The film features conversations with energy experts, innovators, and policymakers while examining both the risks facing the existing grid and potential solutions for creating a more resilient and sustainable energy future. Sounds of Film is hosted by Tom Needham and has been bringing together the worlds of film, music, and ideas for more than 30 years. The program has featured conversations with an extraordinary range of guests, including Oscar-winning and legendary composer Stephen Schwartz, singer Taylor Dayne, and members of Public Enemy, as well as filmmakers and artists from across the entertainment world. The SOUNDS podcast features new interviews along with classic conversations from the Sounds of Film archive.

  5. 5d ago

    Michael Cusumano & Charity Schubert on LAST MINUTE and the Road to the Academy Awards

    On this episode of Sounds of Film, Tom Needham speaks with writer/director Michael Cusumano and actor/producer Charity Schubert about their acclaimed short film LAST MINUTE, his memories of growing up before the internet, and the unexpected journey that has taken the film from Tribeca to Academy Award qualification. Cusumano discusses the inspiration behind the story and his desire to explore a time when solving everyday problems required ingenuity, persistence, and help from the people around you. Set in 1989, LAST MINUTE follows Jackie, a resourceful single mother played by Charity Schubert, whose evening spirals into chaos when her 12-year-old son waits until the night before a major school assignment to begin his work. What begins as a frantic race against the clock becomes a funny and heartfelt story about parenthood, responsibility, community, and the human connections that can emerge when technology isn’t available to provide an instant solution. SOUNDS OF FILM with Tom Needham is a long-running film, music, and ideas podcast and radio program that has featured conversations with filmmakers, actors, musicians, authors, and other leading voices in the arts and culture. Recent guests have included Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, director Michael Pack, Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine, director Ash Mayfair, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Josh Fox, and Eraserheads frontman Ely Buendia and director Maria Diane Ventura. SOUNDS OF FILM has aired for more than 30 years on WUSB and is available as a podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

  6. Aug 26

    Tessa Blake, Director of IF I TELL YOU Up Next on SOUNDS OF FILM

    The next episode of SOUNDS OF FILM features special guest Tessa Blake, the award-winning writer and director of IF I TELL YOU. An alumna of AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women, Blake has worked extensively in film, television and theater, with her films premiering at Cannes and SXSW and receiving recognition from festivals including the Nantucket Film Festival and Human Rights Watch Film Festival. Set against the rugged beauty of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters region, IF I TELL YOU is a tender and suspenseful family drama based on Lisa O’Donnell’s novel Closed Doors. The film follows 12-year-old Michael, played by Etienne Kellici, as he tries to uncover what happened when his mother, Rosemary (Allison Miller), comes home with a black eye and bruised lip; the cast also includes Carol Kane, Bill Heck, Chris Jackson, Carmela Zumbado, Kennedi Butler, McKenzie Hays, Tiegen Fryberger and Zelalem Oestreich. IF I TELL YOU opened in theaters in Ely and Duluth, Minnesota, on August 21 and opens in select theaters across North America on August 27, 2026. The film has received numerous festival honors, including Best Minnesota Feature at the Twin Cities Film Festival and Best Director honors at both the Ely Film Festival and Montreal Women Film Festival. SOUNDS OF FILM with Tom Needham is a long-running radio show and podcast devoted to film, music and ideas, featuring conversations with filmmakers, actors, musicians, composers, authors and other cultural figures. Recent guests have included David Saint and Debby Hirshman, Christian Nilsson, Lynn Dow, Cassidy Rast and Odin Wadleigh, Micah S. Harris, Josh Fox, Alex Gibney, Michael Pack, Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine, Ash Mayfair and Yana Alliata. The program has aired for more than 30 years on WUSB and features both new interviews and classic conversations from the SOUNDS OF FILM archive.

  7. Aug 4

    Big Chill: Staged Reading by Marisa Tomei & Matthew Broderick at Guild Hall for Center at West Park

    Director David Saint and Debby Hirshman, Executive Director of The Center at West Park, join Tom Needham on Sounds of Film to discuss the one-night-only staged reading of The Big Chill, taking place on Monday, August 31, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at Guild Hall in East Hampton. They discuss bringing the beloved 1983 classic to the stage with an all-star cast, the enduring appeal of its unforgettable characters and themes, and how this special evening supports The Center at West Park’s mission of making arts and culture affordable, accessible, and inclusive. Presented by The Center at West Park, this special staged reading of The Big Chill continues the organization’s annual summer tradition at Guild Hall following the acclaimed presentation of All the President’s Men. Directed by David Saint, the performance features Marisa Tomei, Matthew Broderick, Amy Brenneman, Spencer Garrett, Frederick Weller, Ilana Levine, and Jumaane D. Williams, with additional guest performers to be announced. Following the reading, audiences will enjoy a talkback with the cast and creative team. Proceeds benefit The Center at West Park’s affordable, accessible, and intergenerational arts programming while supporting its ongoing efforts to preserve the historic West Park Presbyterian Church as a vibrant cultural and community hub. Hosted by Tom Needham, Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film, music, and ideas radio show and podcast. Over the years, the program has featured an extraordinary range of guests from the worlds of film, music, and culture, including Billy Joel, Rob Reiner, Alexander Payne, Laurie Anderson, Julie Andrews, Alec Baldwin, Jordan Peele, Chuck D, Howard Shore, William H. Macy, Nile Rodgers, Peter Fonda, Barbara Kopple, Cicely Tyson, Kenneth Lonergan, D.A. Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus, and many more, offering listeners engaging conversations with some of the most influential creative voices of our time.

  8. Jul 29

    WESTHAMPTON Director Christian Nilsson Up Next on the SOUNDS OF FILM

    On this episode of Sounds of Film, host Tom Needham welcomes Emmy Award-winning writer, director, and producer Christian Nilsson to discuss his acclaimed feature Westhampton. Nilsson reflects on the film’s remarkable fourteen-year journey from screenplay to screen, its recent theatrical release, and its celebrated encore screening presented by the Stony Brook Film Festival at Stony Brook Southampton’s Avram Theater, where audiences gathered for a special reception and filmmaker Q&A following the screening. Westhampton follows filmmaker Tom Bell, who returns to his Long Island hometown years after a tragic accident that forever altered the lives of those closest to him. As he screens a semi-autobiographical film inspired by the tragedy, Tom is forced to confront painful memories, fractured relationships, and a community that has never forgiven him, resulting in a moving story about guilt, redemption, and the possibility of self-forgiveness. Sounds of Film is a long running radio show and podcast hosted by Tom Needham, featuring in-depth conversations with many of the world’s leading filmmakers, actors, composers, musicians, authors, and cultural figures. Past guests have included Billy Joel, Julie Andrews, Rob Reiner, Jordan Peele, Alex Gibney, Alexander Payne, Laurie Anderson, Bob Geldof, Chuck D, Nile Rodgers, Howard Shore, John Densmore, Eric Stoltz, Hannah Berryman, Michael Moore, Stephen Schwartz, DMC, and many more.

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About

The SOUNDS Podcast with Tom Needham features in-depth conversations with leading filmmakers, composers, authors, politicians, artists, scientists, actors and philosophers. The SOUNDS Podcast also brings listeners classic interviews from the deep archives of America's longest running film, music and ideas themed radio show, THE SOUNDS OF FILM. For more information, visit: https://soundsoffilm.com

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